Get Gym Fit without the Gym

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If you’ve set a New Year resolution to get your fitness back in shape then you’ll be in one of two camps; elated or frustrated. You’re either elated at the changes you’re noticing in your energy levels and physical appearance feeling proud and strong — or you’re frustrated with the gym membership that has barely been used; beating yourself up about your lack of progress.

The most important aspect of sticking to your new year’s resolutions is to have a strong and compelling goal. As an example, perhaps you have a friend’s wedding coming up or a fancy holiday on the horizon. The point is, you need to find a goal that has some emotional weight; as this is the only way to create the leverage needed to move into action and commit to your goals. You need to get some fire under you.

That said, there are a number of reasons why people’s interest in their gym membership wains after a few weeks; anything from feeling out of place to finding the time to actually get to the gym. Then, there is the cost of some gym memberships – at some premium places you’ll need to be looking into no interest credit cards to go with your membership package.

This is perhaps why home fitness is such a booming trend, though this is mostly targeting women, it has expanded into numerous areas that are equally applicable to men with classes ranging from soothing yoga to hardcore tabata based training workouts that utilise the power of interval training.

Indeed, even the world’s leader in fitness classes, Les Mills, is now rapidly expanding into the digital space with it’s on-demand workouts such as Body Pump and Body Combat that were once reserved for more elite gyms due to their substantial club licensing fee, the whole world seems to want everything on demand from the likes of Netflix to fine dining delivered to your door.

If the thought of working out from home, or at least somewhere without a gym membership is attractive to you, then look no further than these three ideas on how to get fit without a gym membership.

On Demand Fitness Classes

We talked previously about the growing trend in on-demand fitness classes that follow a similar model to Netflix; the great thing with these classes are that they fit around your schedule, unlike a gym, where you have to fit around its timetable and you don’t have to feel so embarrassed about being the person at the back not really knowing the moves. It’s a great way to build up your fitness and competency before braving a real life exercise class.

Get on Your Bike

You may prefer to go exploring in the great outdoors, but many of us prefer the idea of cycling in front of the TV in the comfort, convenience and privacy of your own home. The main benefit of exercising in this way is that it will work the majority of major muscle groups and is relatively low-impact, meaning it won’t negatively affect your joints as much as high impact sports like running and aerobics.

Boxing Pad Work

For something a little more interactive, this is a fantastic way to keep fit with a partner, or on your own if you replace boxing pads for a punching bag. Not only is it a great way to boost your cardiovascular fitness, it’s also an incredibly effective way to de-stress and blow off steam.

In summary, there are many unique and fun ways to workout with a gym membership that are both low cost and low hassle. There are plenty of workouts with no equipment whilst at home or on the road. There is something to consider, however, which is if you struggle with the motivation to push yourself beyond your comfort zone a personal trainer or group fitness class might be the best option for you.